Yep, like every other NCAA sport and every other organized sport on the planet.
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You can bet the house on the new 16 team playoffs having only 4 auto-bids for the top conference champs (ie: think P4) and another 12 at large bids (mostly for other P2 teams).
The playoff selection committee is not going to pass on inviting the likes of Ohio State & Michigan & USC (BIG) and Texas & Alabama & Georgia (SEC) - to make room for some #15-20 nationally ranked team from the MWC or AAC or even for some #15-20 nationally ranked 2nd place team from the Big12 or the ACC.
Such outliers will likely only get in if they are nationally ranked in the Top 10 (which will become unlikely under the anticipated new “pay-the-players” P2 rules); even if the above type of blue chip P2 schools are lower ranked, if at all. For example, I would expect to see a #22 ranked 8-4 UT (non SEC champ) get invited over a #14 ranked 10-2 UH (non Big12 champ) all day long and twice on Sunday.
I expect that the amount of money that the playoff selection committee/sponsors can make by filling up these 100,000+ seat P2 stadiums will likely rule the day for the 1st and 2nd round games.
Don’t be surprised if it is even worse than that. In the tank for the sec finebaum just came out with his self serving “input” about the p2’s. He does not mince words. The p2’s are already here. We have two years to make headways until the cfp at 16 changes again. After these two years what do you think the p2’s will demand?
HCWF is a momentous hire for us. We are against the clock. He is the right man to take us to the top.